in syria, government warplanes bombed towns in the north and east, in the face of new advances by rebel fighters. in one attack, the planes dropped barrels filled with explosives and gasoline just west of idlib city. reports of the dead ranged from five to 20. the regime is using intensive air raids to try to beat back rebel gains. forensic experts took samples from the remains of yasser arafat today, hoping to determine once and for all if the late palestinian leader was poisoned. arafat died in 2004. his body was briefly exhumed today in ramallah, on the west bank. we have a report from john ray of independent television news. >> reporter: eight years after they buried him they sealed yasser arafat's tomb for a second time. a dignified ceremony. the palestinian's lost leader has not been allowed to rest peacefully. shielded by blue screens, scientists took samples from his body to try to clear up a near decade of conjecture on the spf theory that says that when a gravely ill arafat said farewell to his people he was dying from the poison administered by the agents of israel. >> the ti